The Maryland Book Exchange has relocated to a new location.
The Maryland Book Exchange, a textbook and apparel store that closed over the summer, recently reopened in a new location.
The retailer operated solely online through Neebo.com/umd until Jan. 24, when the store opened in the space formerly occupied by College Park Bicycles, near 7-Eleven and across Knox Road from Jason’s Deli. Its reopening took some students, such as freshman business major Jay Molnar, by surprise.
“I had no idea the Book Exchange was reopening,” Molnar said. “I used to get a lot of Maryland shirts there — books too.”
McCabe Milton, the store’s general manager, said he was unsure whether the Book Exchange’s marketing efforts were enough to publicize the move.
“We tried to do a little promotion, but I don’t know if we ever really got the news out there,” he said. “We put up posters in local shops and student housing, places like The View and The Varsity, and we got some handouts and had ads in the newspaper.”
Because it now occupies a smaller retail space, Milton said the retailer is not carrying as much merchandise as they hope to in the future. Most of the apparel and books are currently in storage in North Carolina and will be shipped to the store as space increases. Although Milton’s not sure when it’s coming, he knows the merchandise won’t all fit.
“We have no chance in fitting anything in here,” he said. “This store is a tenth of the size of the old one. We’re just going to sell the hot-selling items — Under Armour and stuff like that.”
Despite the smaller catalog, Milton said sales have impressed him so far.
“Business is picking up,” he said. “We’re getting busier. We haven’t gotten the permit for a big sign we applied for yet, but I guess people know we’re here.”
Tom McConnell, who learned about the reopening by noticing construction on the new location, is one of those people.
“I have never shopped there before,” the freshman government and politics major said. “But personally, I think the prices are going to be competitive enough with BookHolders and the [university] bookstore to attract customers.”
Milton said he hoped to accrue more business with the help of giveaways such as one this weekend that offered a free T-shirt to students who predicted the winner of the Super Bowl.
“In the future, we’d like to do more stuff like that,” Milton said. “We want to do things like that to get interest from students and create a fun atmosphere.”
Some students said they had found lower textbook prices at the new location.
“I wasn’t aware it was reopening until last week, when I actually walked past it on Tuesday and went in to look for my English book,” said Danielle Rossi, a freshman bioengineering major. “I’ve never shopped there in the past, but now that I’ve been there, I definitely will. I compared my calc book from last semester to the one they have there, and it was significantly cheaper. I think it’s definitely a good option for UMD students.”
Other students share Rossi’s enthusiasm.
“I’m jacked for the opening of the Book Exchange,” said Hunter Kalish, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences. “I’ve been waiting all semester for it.”
